Most photo contests are absolute rip-offs and money-making schemes for the contest promoters. The latest example of which is
Xerox's photo contest as described by Photo Business News & Forum blog.
By entering the contest you sign away ALL rights to your own images, whether you win or not. You can't even use your own images for anyting except self-promotion for 5 years! Even worse, the contest is specifically marketed toward college students who may not read the fine print and/or know any better. Oh, and you also agree not to sue Xerox for anything either.
It's pathetic.
In all honesty I've lost count of the number of photo contest junk mails I've received in the past few weeks. Each of which
only costs $25-$40 each to enter. I've been meaning to blog about them, but I really don't want to go back through my emails and count them all! So I'm using this latest rights rip-off to share my thoughts on the matter.
Here's my advice.
Don't enter photo contests. You are not going to get famous from a photo contest. You are not going to "get known" as a photographer. You are not going to win great prizes and get rich, quite the contrary in fact given then normal entrance fees.
For aspiring professionals and pro photographers/illustrators the only "contests" I recommend, as exceptions, are those put on by
Communication Arts and
American Illustrator and American Photography. Neither of these will get you rich either, but do offer valid, respected notoriety. Publication in either will get your work in front of thousands of art directors and creatives and possibly lead to other opportunities.
As far the rest, don't bother.
